Emergency Medicine Residency

Dear Residency Candidate: 

Welcome to the University of Michigan Health-West Emergency Medicine Residency Program in Wyoming, MI, a suburb of Grand Rapids, MI. Our mission is to educate our residents to become competent and compassionate physicians. To do this, we seek to give our residents the tools needed to sustain a lifetime of education, to become involved in and committed to the broader community, and to pursue an awareness of the values in their lives that create satisfaction and self-actualization, both personally and professionally. 

UMHW is a community-based hospital and our average annual ED census is approximately 58,000. We are a level 2 trauma center and a stroke center for excellence. We have residencies in IM, FM, OB/GYN, urology, orthopedic surgery, and general surgery, and we also have a sports medicine fellowship. We also have access to a wide variety of specialists including infectious disease, nephrology, cardiothoracic surgery, critical care, pulmonology, cardiology, interventional cardiology, anesthesiology, and interventional radiology.  

Our curriculum will provide you with ample exposure to both high and low-acuity patients and procedures while working alongside only board-certified or eligible emergency medicine physicians. That’s right! We have no advanced practice providers in our emergency department. You will work alongside your attendings, oftentimes as the only resident to three attendings.  

Over the three years at UMHW, our residents spend the majority of their time in the emergency department but also experience rotations in MICU, SICU, PICU, anesthesiology, pediatric emergency medicine, trauma, and many other rotations selected to provide the very best clinical preparation for their future careers. Elective rotations can be tailored to fit the interests of the individual residents and their desired experiences.  

Our program excels in many areas. First and foremost, our emergency department faculty are extremely invested in teaching. Our emergency department group has staffed this hospital for over 30 years, and 13 of our 15 attendings trained at this institution and went through the same residency. We provide a collaborative and supportive work environment with a strong focus on teamwork and maintaining a good work relationship amongst all emergency department staff.  

We are very lucky to have a supportive institution with a focus on wellness. We understand the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Residency is hard, and we realize this and strive to support our residents in any way possible. We are here to help you become the best version of yourself, not just clinically, but also professionally, and personally. We are committed to creating an environment that supports both your professional development and personal health.  

According to US News & World Report, Grand Rapids is one of the top cities in the country for quality of life! We have an amazing cultural scene, top-notch school systems, and so many recreational opportunities. There are several minor league sports teams, numerous concert venues where national acts and Broadway musicals are frequent, and there are restaurants in any cuisine imaginable! Whatever you enjoy, you will certainly find something to do in our city! 

Successful graduates have transitioned to practicing community-based medicine, practicing in academic level 1 trauma centers, rural health-based practices, and fellowships. The beauty of this program is that your training will allow you to be able to work competently and confidently in any environment.  

We are so excited that you are considering our program! We look forward to meeting you and working with you as you consider your future in medicine. We cannot wait to meet you! 

Sincerely, 

Allison Edberg, DO, FACEP, FAAEM 
Residency Program Director Emergency Medicine 
University of Michigan Health-West